Press
Release

For Immediate Release September 25, 2007

Washington D.C.
FBI National Press Office
(202) 324-3691

FBI E-Mail Alerts Service Reaches Key Milestones

Earlier this month, an FBI service that sends out e-mail
alerts when breaking news and information is posted on
its national and local Internet websites reached two key
milestones: more than 50,000 subscribers and more than
10 million total e-mails sent to date.

The service was launched last October to improve public
safety and law enforcement partnerships by sending updates
on terrorist threats, missing kids, wanted fugitives, emerging
scams, major cases, and other topics directly to the personal
computers, laptops, or wireless devices of subscribers.

“These alerts give us the ability to communicate
quickly and directly with the news media, law enforcement,
and the public when there is breaking news or a crisis,” said
John Miller, Assistant Director of the Office of Public
Affairs. “In at least one case, an e-mail alert led
to publicity that helped capture a wanted fugitive. That’s
the power of this service—by keeping the public and
our partners better informed, we’re better able to
solve crimes and prevent terrorist attacks.”

Signing up is easy. Just click on the red envelope icons
found on the FBI’s main website at http://www.fbi.gov and
on the websites of its 56 field offices nationwide. No
personal information is required, just an e-mail address
where the alerts will be sent. Subscribers select which
topics that they want updates on, such as new e-scams and
warnings, most wanted terrorists, top ten fugitives, and
national and local press releases. The alerts are sent
as soon as updates are posted on the FBI website or in
daily, weekly, or monthly digests.

Through its website, the FBI provides two other features
to increase the number of options for receiving news and
updates: RSS (Really Simple Syndication) news feeds for
press releases, top stories, and other breaking news (see http://www.fbi.gov/rss.htm);
and web modules that can be added to websites and blogs
(see http://www.fbi.gov/widgets.htm).

The FBI website, which is visited by millions of people
from around the world each month, has been an important
public safety and communications tool for more than a decade.
On the site, you can report crime, help find fugitives
and missing persons, apply for a job, request FBI records,
get tips on how to “be crime smart,” and learn
how to do business with the Bureau.